Massage-machine.



F. J. NILES.

MASSAGE MACHINE.

PPLICATION FILED SEPT. 11. l9l5.

1,291,611. Patented Jan. 14, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

F. J. NILES.

MASSAGE MACHINE.

APPLICATION mgr) SEPT. 11, 1915.

Patented Jan. 14, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

.OJ I

gwucwloz Fannie amass,

ATES PATENT OFFICE.

ramvm J. NILE-S, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE NILESNOBMALIZING MACHINE 00., INC., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEWYORK.

MASSAGE-MACHINE.

Patented J an. 14, 1919.

Application filed September 11, 1915. Serial No, 50,148.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FANNIE J. Nines, acitizen of the United States, residing. at Philadelphia, in the countyof Philadelphia and State. of Pennsylvania, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Massage-Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in massage machines, the object ofthe invention being to provide a massage machine which operates upon'the patient while in ahorizontal or inclining position, and imparts asoothing reciprocating rolling actionu on any desired part of the bodyso as to re uce the flesh and operate as a remedy for many diseases ordisorders due to obesity.

As excessive fat is evidence of two incorrect conditions, namely, lackof exercise and improper assimilation, people who are very stout areusually weak because much of the vital energy has gone to fat instead ofmus cular strength, and they require more energy to more than. others,and it is difiicult, ii not quite impossible for fat people to use ordinary forms of exercise.

An apparatus embodying my improvements operates upon the body while thepatient is lying down and no strain is upon the spinal column andwithout causing the patient any discomfort whatever.

A further object is to provide a machine of the character stated whichcan be readily adjusted for use with any size of body, and which may beused in connection with one or a plurality of massage devices andmassage the portion or portions of the body desired.

A further object is to provide a machine of the character stated whichcan be manufactured and sold at a reasonably low price, and which willmost eiiiciently perform the fun tions for which it is intended.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certainnovel features of construction and combinations and arrangements ofparts as will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in theclaims.

Fig. 2 is a view in longitudinal section through the center of themachine showing a patient in position for operation.

Fi 3 is a view in transverse section on the l1ne 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view illustrating one of the turn buttons,and

Fig. 5 is' an enlarged fragmentary detail view partly in section andpartly in elevation illustrating a portion of one series of rollers.

1 represents an operating table which is supported on hollow standards2, and at one end is made with lateral extensions 3 at both sides asshown clearly in Fig. 1. These lateral extensions afi'ord a wide restfor the arms during various positions of the body on the operatingtable.

A longitudinal shaft 4 is positioned centrally below the operating table1, and is supported in bearings 5- in standards 2. On

- this shaft 4. a rectangular frame 6 is secured.

The frame 6 comprises parallel side bars 7. 7 connected by arms 8 withthe shaft 4, and one of these arms 8 is connected by a link 9 with acrank pin 10 on a gear wheel 11. the latter secured to a short shaft 12mounted in one of the standards.

The shaft 12 is connected by a gear train 13 with a motor shaft 14, thelatter having a fly wheel 15 thereon, and operated by an electric motor16 supported on a bracket 17 fixed to one of the standards 2 as shownclearly in Fig. 2.

The side bars 7 of frame 6 are provided throughout their length withturnl'buttons 29.which are adapted to connect a flexible massagingdevice herein shown to be in the form of series of rollers 18 to theframe 6 as will hereinafter appear.

In Figs. 1 and 2, I illustrate my improved machine provided with twoseries of rollers 18, but it is of course to be understoodithat theinvention is not limited to any particular form of flexible massagingdevice nor to any number of series of rollers, nor to any particularlocation or arrangement. and the scription hereinafter of one series ofrollers- I will apply alike to both.

The rollers are each made of three sections 20, 21, and 22 respectively.The end s tions 21 and 22 are relatively short, whit-s:

the intermediate sections 20 are relatively long, and all of thesesections are provided with longitudinal bores for the reception of pins23 upon which the rollers turn or which turn with the rollers asdesired.

Links24 connect the pins 23, and are located between the sections of therollers, and give to the series of rollers the necessary flexibility toallow the same to conform to the shape of the body.

The links 24 at the ends of the series of rollers are connected by pins25 with flexible sheets 26 preferably of heavy canvas or Other strongmaterial having therein a plurality of eyelets 27.

It is to be understood that the eyelets 27 receive the turn buttons 29,and by providing several series of eyelets in the sheets 26 at the endsof each series of rollers, a wide range of adjustment ispcrmitted so asto give just the necessary pressure on the body, and to conform to'theshape of the body.

The rollers 18 may, of course, be made of any suitable material, but Ihave found that wood answers the purpose, and is preferably used,although I am not limited inthis particular.

Fig. 2 illustrates a body 28 onthe operat-' ing table 1, and acrosswhich two series of rollers 18 are positioned, the ends of the series ofrollers connected to the side bars 7 of frame 6.

Through the medium of the gears above,

. tion, it is of course to be understood that the patient may beturned-to any position desired and the rollers operate upon any part ofthe body.

Various slight changes might be made in the general form and arrangementof parts described without departing from my invention, and hence I donot limitmyself to the precise details set forth, but consider myself atliberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within thespirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patentis:

I. In a massage machine, the combination with anoperating table, of aflexible massagmg device movable transversely of the table, and meansfor reciprocating the. said device, substantially 'asdescri.

racism 2. In a massage machine, the combination with an operating table,of a flexible massaging device movable transversel of the table, andmeans below the table a apted to reciprocate the said device,substantially as with an operating table, of a massagin de-.

vice movable transversely of the table a ove the same, a horizontaloscillating frame below the'table, and said massaging device havingmeans vat its ends whereby it is adjustably connected to the frame,substantially as described.

5. In a massage machine, the combination with an operating table,standards supportin the'table in horizontal position, an osci atin framesupported in the standards below t e table, and a massaging deviceconnected to the frame and extending transversely over the table,substantially as'described. 1

6. In a massage machine, the combination with an operating table,standards supporting the table in horizontal position, an oscillatinframe supported in the standards below 516 table, a massaging deviceconnected to the frame and extending transversely over the table, saidframe havin a series of turn buttons at its side edges, an saidmassaging device having flexible perforated sheets at its ends toreceive the turn buttons, substantially as described.

Z...In a massage machine, the combination with .a horizontal table,standards supporting the table, a shaft mounted to turn in thestandards, a frame secured to the shaft, means for oscillating theframe, and a massaging device positioned transversely over the table andconnected at its ends to the frame, substantially as described.

8. In a massage machine, thecombination with a horizontal table,standards supporting the table, a shaft mounted to turn in thestandards, a frame secured to the shaft, means supported by one of saidstandards for transmitting motion to the frame, and a plurality ofmassagin devices positioned transversely over the ta 1e and at theirends adjustably connected to the sides of the frame, substantially asdescribed.

9. A massage machine, comprising standards, a horizontal operating tablesupported over the table and connected to the frame, a

train of gearing supported by one of the standards, means connecting thetrain of gearing with the frame, whereby the latter -is oscillated, andamotor for driving the gear train, substantially as described.

10. In an apparatus for massaging surfaces of a patients body, thecombination of a flexible massaging device movable in contact with thesurface to be treated, means for supporting the patient in a recliningposition engaged by said flexible massaging device and mechanism formoving said massaging device across the surface to be treated while thepatient is reclining.

11. A massaging apparatus comprising a supporting table, a plurality ofspaced apart massaging straps passing over said table, and adapted toengage different portions of a person-resting on said table and meansfor moving said straps across said portions.

12. A massaging apparatus comprising a supporting table, a plurality ofmassagmg straps passing over said table, means engaging the straps formoving the same back and forth over a portion of a person on the table,certain of said. straps being relatively adjustable.

13. In a massage or body treatment machine, the combination with meansfor supporting the person to be treated in a horizontal position, of aseries of elongated horizontally arranged massage devices, a flexiblesupport for said devices, adapted to conform tothe outline of the bodyof the person when in horizontal position, whereby a plurality of saidmassage devices will be brought into --ngagement with the upper portionof the body simultaneously, and means for moving said support to and froto actuate said massage devices.

14. In a massage machine, the combination of two series of massagedevices for engagement with the body of a person when in horizontalposition, flexible carriers for carrying the massage devices of each ofsaid series, means for adjusting said carriers to bring a plurality ofthe massage devices of each series into engagement with the body, andmeans for actuating said carriers.

versely of the person, and means for reciprocating said device.

16. In a device of the class described, the combination of a table forsupporting a body in a substantially horizontal position, a shaftpositioned below the table, a rocking frame secured to the shaft, meanscarried by the frame for securing a body engaging member thereto, andmeans for rocking said frame.

17. In a massage apparatus, the combination of a table for supporting abody in a horizontal position, supports for said table, a shaftpositioned below the table extending lengthwise thereof and carried bysaid supports, a rocking member carried by said shaft and extendinglaterally from opposite sides thereof, the outer ends of said memberbeing provided with turn buttons thereby to connect opposite ends of abody engag: ing member thereto, a rotary power member carried by saidsupports and positioned below said rocking member and a link connectionbetween said power member and said rocking member whereby the rotarymovement of the power member is transformed into a rocking movement ofsaid member.

18. In the art of treating a persons body,

the method which consists, in causing thepatient to assume a horizontalresting position with the muscles relaxed and when so positioned tosubject a portion of the surface of the body to'the massaging actionincidental to the reciprocating of a flexible massaging device back andforth across the surface supporting the device. I

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

FANNIE J. NILES. Witnesses:

C. E. Po'rrs, MARIE JACKSON.

